


Cave

by DollopheadedMerlin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Merthur - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-21 02:49:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2451914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DollopheadedMerlin/pseuds/DollopheadedMerlin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Birthday present for my BEST FRIEND! Arthur and Merlin are stuck in a perilous situation. How will they escape? What events might unfold? And what secrets will be revealed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cave

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Clementineme](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Clementineme).



In ecstatic, stumbling, stress the servant and his monarch ran through the brush and grime of the forest, enemies close behind. Men with maces, axes, and word, out numbering them by scores, pursued them with rage. 

Of course, it was Arthur they were after, Merlin being nothing but a barrier between the men and their target; though a far stronger barrier than they could perceive.

Hearts beating faster than a rabbit’s, the two victims dashed and weaved through the wood until there was a dip in the earth, into which they both dropped down to hide.

“Bandits?” Merlin questioned, breathing heavily.

Arthur shook his head. “Morgana’s men.”

“Where did she get so many?” Merlin marveled.

“She must be working with the Saxons,” Arthur inquired.

The sound of an irate search could be heard coming from the surrounding brush. Arthur peeked his head out from hiding and gazed out at the sea of trees around them. He could see men juggling in and out of view, behind trees and around bushes. Arthur groaned as he slid back down next to his friend.

“What is it?” Merlin said with a weary tone.

“They know where we are,” Arthur answered. “They’re surrounding us.”

The two of them took a moment to breathe and think about their situation.

“Maybe we can distract them,” Merlin suggested. “I’ll lead them –“

“No!” Arthur sighed. “No, Merlin.”

“Well then –“

“Just . . . just stop. Leave it be.”

It had only been a few weeks since Gwen’s banishment. Ever since the occasion Arthur had sunk into a dangerous sulk. It’d seemed he’d given up. He was emotionally unstable. Morgana knew Gwen’s betrayal would do this to him and had taken it to her own advantage.

“What do you mean?” Merlin asked.

“There’s no way to get out of this Merlin! There’s what, fifty of them and two of us? It’s me they’re after. I want you to go back to Camelot the moment I lead them the other way.”

“Arthur no!”

“Do as I say, Merlin!”

The servant scoffed. “When do I ever do that? Camelot needs you Arthur, I’m not leaving without you,” Merlin said with a warm grin.

Arthur smiled back and, as Merlin sat up to look around them, he couldn’t help but keep staring at him. There was somewhat of a puzzle to be solved within Merlin, but Arthur could never find the wisdom to do so.

“There!” Merlin stated, pointing out a river not too far away. 

“What?”

“When they attack we’ll run along the river so they can’t outflank us.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Arthur protested. “We’d be cornered.”

“No, it’s got to lead somewhere, doesn’t it?”

Arthur mused at Merlin’s scarcely revealed wisdom. “You better be right about this.”

Stealthily, they made their way towards the river. However, it wasn’t long before the Saxons realized they had moved and were coming at them from all directions, that is, except from the river.

The two young men broke out into a sprint and hugged the riverbank as they ran, Saxons on their tails again. Having been nearly cut off from their path by a group of men from the west, they took long strides to keep themselves ahead of the stampede afore them.

Mouths dry, heart aching, and legs sore, Arthur and Merlin powered on, on foot after the other slamming against the shifty soil beneath them. They had hope in their hearts and the will to keep running no matter how badly their lungs burned with exasperation. However, Arthur’s heart sank when he spotted the mouth of a cave, out of which the river ran from, and his sprint dwindled down into something more depressive.

“Keep going!” Merlin shouted over the rush of noise behind them. He pushed Arthur to keep him moving forward.

“Where?” Arthur asked.

“The cave! It leads into the mountains of Andor! It’ll be too dark in there for them to see us! We’ll be able to hide!”

“And then what?” Arthur questioned.

Merlin left the question hanging as they ran into the cave.

The moment they stepped inside their vision left them and they were ankle deep in the river. Still, they wend blindly on. Merlin, lost in the darkness, found himself unable to find a way out of the river and clumsily splashed about until Arthur yanked out onto rocks lining the stream. Just as Merlin came onto dry land, the Saxons began to flood inside, forcing Arthur and Merlin to hide behind a large boulder. Slowly, the cave became illuminated as torches were lit by Morgana’s men. Arthur and Merlin didn’t dare to move, nor did they have the strength to after all that running.

The noise was utterly irritating, the soft roar of the river muffled by the bellows of the Saxons bouncing on and off the cave walls. The only silence in the cave came from where Merlin and Arthur were hiding. They took shallow breaths and didn’t move at all. And they remained this way for a long while, until Saxons could be heard approaching that part of the cave.

Arthur’s heart started pumping and his muscles tensed. His soul was so shattered and battered from Gwen leaving him that it was difficult for him to hope. In his mind, there was no way to escape. Morgana had won. His mind raced through all the possible ways he would be tortured or killed by his sister and, somehow, thinking of his last moments, he found himself looking at Merlin. Suddenly his heart felt warm and safe in that cold, dark cave. People often look to the thing they value most in life when they are threatened and Arthur could not look away from his old friend. Of course, there was no one else he’d rather die with.

A loud Bang! Came from the other side of the boulder and, in no time at all, four Saxons slipped into view with wicked smiles on their faces and weapons drawn. Arthur stood up in alarm, prepared to fight, a new hope having risen in his heart, but, as he did, all the torches in the cave went out.

There was such a loud commotion amongst the enemy that Arthur could barely hear Merlin whisper “Run,” his breath making the hairs on Arthur’s neck stand on end. The king ran blindly, further into the cave, following the orders of his servant. He tried desperately to follow the sound of Merlin’s footsteps but his head was banging with the booming sound of the ruckus around them.

Dizzy, tired, disoriented, and desperate, Arthur was lost, having not the slightest clue where he was or in which direction Merlin ran. Panting, practically gasping for breath, Arthur spun around and around trying to figure out which way to go, trying to spot a light of some kind, a way out.

Then, amongst the racket and void-like darkness, the flash of blindingly bright light illuminated the cave and a pack of Saxons could be seen being thrown about. The light then died, and everything went silent.

Confusion spread over the survivors in the cave like a highly contagious disease. Arthur pondered who could have killed the Saxons and why? Though he hoped otherwise, the most obvious answer was that Morgana had slaughtered them, possibly because they had failed in capturing the king.

Arthur’s fears were all but proven when he heard a familiar shriek ring out in the cave. Another flash of light and Morgana’s face was illuminated as six more Saxons were blown into the wall of the cave with a bang. Morgana screamed again and terror downed on all her men and Arthur. Soon, everyone was scrambling for a way out, searching blindly through the darkness for a way out.

Arthur froze. He didn’t know what to do. If he was going to escape then he’d have to avoid Morgana, which seemed futile in the blanket of darkness. The other drawback was Merlin. Arthur had no idea where he was or if he was safe.

He ran. He ran right into the crowd of Saxons to search for his friend, knowing he wouldn’t be able to life with himself if he’s gotten hurt. Blazes of light shot out like lightning every so often, killing Morgana’s men and causing more panic each time.

Arthur scattered around the cave searching for his servant but it seemed impossible to find him amongst all the people, he only wish he would not have to search among the corpses. He was in a panic, eagerly wanted to find Merlin and get out. All the while he knew that Morgana was killing people and that he had to be prepared for whatever horrible truths may be revealed when the torches were relit.

However, to his dismay, Arthur’s assumption that it had been Morgana doing the killing was proven wrong. For, while searching, another flash of light illuminated Morgana’s face as the last of her men were killed. But it was not her who muttered such a deadly spell. Between Morgana and he stood Merlin, hands outstretched, facing Morgana, whose eyes were filled with fear.

“Merlin!” Arthur exclaimed having found his friend.

Merlin looked back, stunned, hoping Arthur hadn’t seen any of what he’d just done.

“Emrys!” Morgana screeched in anger.

Arthur only had a fraction of a moment to be confused before another flash of light appeared with a bang, revealing Morgana’s horrifying expression as she lunged towards Merlin.

It all happened so fast that Arthur could barely take it in. A bolt of green energy surged out of Morgana’s fingers and struck Merlin in the heart. His back arched and he fell backward only to sit up and scream at Morgana, his eyes flashing gold. The roof of the cave crumbled down on her and she disappeared from view.

Arthur couldn’t move. He didn’t know if he wanted to. He wasn’t sure if what he had just seen had even been real! He was lost in his own mind as those few seconds replayed over and over in his head. But then, Merlin wheezed from his position on the ground and caught Arthur’s attention.

He rushed down to his servant’s side after feeling around for a torch and lighting it. His eyes were staring straight ahead and his face was grimy and covered with dirt. His breath was shallow and uneasy. Arthur looked down; there was a burn on Merlin’s chest that looked as if it stung like a million wasp stings. Arthur was nothing but worried for Merlin, until he came to his senses and all the pieces came together inside of his head. He dropped Merlin, his head hitting the cave floor hard, forcing his eyes shut.

Arthur quickly stood away. His heart began to race even faster than it had been throughout the entire day. His head banged with uncertainty and his stomach twisted and turned. Merlin had magic.

Arthur stressfully ran his fingers through his hair and paced over Merlin’s body. And, whether it was Gwen or Morgana or the loss or the lies, it seemed to him that there was only one thing that he could do. Merlin had to be executed.

Not knowing his way out of the cave and wanting to take his sorrow and his anger out on something, Arthur searched the corpse of a nearby Saxon until he found a dagger. He then knelt over Merlin and held the blade out over his chest, his hands shaking with rage, remorse, and fear. He breathed heavily, puffing large gasps in and out of his mouth as he prepared to kill the traitor he once called friend. His face was read and his blood was pumping at an alarming rate. The whole world began to shake around him while he readied himself to spike Merlin through the chest. But he couldn’t. Though the world was spiraling around him, Merlin was still and had innocence about him. Arthur let his arms fall limp and threw the dagger away, causing it to skid against the rock.

Letting out and agonizing shriek, Arthur punched the ground in fury. Then he hit it again. And again. And again. Then he put his hand over his face and wept, not knowing what else he could do.

Moments that felt like centuries went by before Merlin began to stir. Arthur did not go to him. He simply looked. He watched Merlin as his consciousness slowly returned to him and his eyes opened.

“Arthur?” Merlin questioned in a week voice.

Arthur did not answer; he merely stared at Merlin with a loathed look on his face.

Merlin struggled to look around as his eyes adjusted. He blinked. Sitting up he saw Arthur with the steady, terrifying look in his eyes.

“Arthur?” Merlin said in something just over a whisper. Tears began to form in his eyes as he realized what had happened. “Ah!” Merlin winced, falling back down. Suddenly panic rushed through Arthur and he was next to Merlin no time, examining the wound.

Merlin had trouble breathing and his heaving insufflation echoed off the walls making the world feel empty. He looked up at Arthur, praying he’d say something.

Arthur did not. He simply loomed over Merlin while he clutched the burning wound on his chest. So Merlin spoke instead.

“I’m sorry.”

Arthur swallowed and tried to repress his anger.

“Arthur I –“

“No,” Arthur ordered. “I don’t understand why you would . . . Why Merlin? What were you thinking? Magic is evil. You should not have tampered with it.”

“I didn’t tamper!” Merlin replied hoarsely.

“What do you mean?”

“I was born with it,” Merlin answered, choking on tears.

“No . . . that’s impossible Merlin. You’re being ridiculous!”

“Trust me, I would have never touched magic if I had had any choice in the matter,” Merlin said.

Arthur looked Merlin in the eye for the first time since he had woken. He felt some sort of relief in Merlin saying that.

“Magic isn’t all evil, Arthur,” Merlin struggled to say due to his pain as well as sorrow.

“Really?” Arthur said. “Because all it’s ever done it hurt me and here it is doing so again!”

“Look!” Merlin said. “Look.” Merlin pushed Arthur back and held his hand out above his wound. “Hálian clane.” Merlin’s eyes burned gold for the first time within Arthur’s gaze. A small, white light bloomed from Merlin’s wound and it was gone. All th dirt anf filth removed from his body, he almost appeared to be pure. 

Arthur marveled at Merlin’s work without realizing he was doing so. “Then why . . . why Camelot? Why would you come here?”

“Gaius,” Merlin answered.

Arthur felt blind not realizing this. “Why would you stay, though? Why keep serving me and my father after all those things we’ve done against you?”

Merlin looked Arthur up and down. “Because it’s my destiny to protect you Arthur. It was written in the stars and carved into the very first tree. I can’t help that.” Merlin smiled.

With those words, Arthur’s head was flushed with memories of Merlin talking wisely of destiny and fate. Little had he known that all he had said was true and learnt from experience.

“What exactly is your destiny, Merlin?” Arthur asked after a long silence. Merlin was taken aback by the question but answered nonetheless.

“Ever since I set foot in Camelot, all anyone has ever told me was to serve you; the Druids, the dragon, even Gaius. You’re destined to be the greatest king that Camelot has ever known, the bringer of Albion! It’s my duty, my destiny to get you there, no matter what the cost.”

“And would you?” Arthur questioned.

“What?”

“Would you serve me, stand by my side, even if I disowned you or beat you or banished you?”

Merlin’s eyes gleamed with certainty as he said, “Yes.”

Arthur took a deep breath. “I knew it,” he whispered.

“What’s that?” Merlin asked, genuinely curious.

“You’re my best friend,” Arthur said. “If I were to die, here in this cave, there’s no one else I’d rather be with, Merlin, whether a sorcerer or a servant.”

“Or both!” Merlin laughed. “And I feel the same.”

Silence doomed over both of them as the torch’s fire began to dim. They treasured the looks on each other’s faces, knowing that I might just be the last thing they ever saw. Ever so slowly the cave went dark again. However, with a whisper of a magic word, a small ball of light grew out of the darkness, just as the two lifelong friends shared a kiss.

[](http://s1368.photobucket.com/user/DollopheadedMerlin/media/kiss_by_dollopheadedmerlin-d817v5b_zps0717cd9e.jpg.html)

This kiss might just have been the most important kiss of their entire lives. Neither of them knew where they were or how they would get out of the cave. For all they knew, Merlin could have blocked the exit when he took down the ceiling. There was an ominous darkness all around them that held no hope or salvation within it. But, together, they felt safe.


End file.
